Please tell me you started out like this pic!

[outrunjason]

Ok I didn't have a truck or trailer. I just started out like this. Did anyone else start out like this or should I be embarassed. Whatever brings in the money is the way I look at it.

Jason

[eslawns]

I used to do some stuff on the weekend like this. Went into the biz the same except that I had a truck. IMO, you need to trade the car for a truck. They make trucks with a back seat if you have an ankle-biter.

[outrunjason]

Yeah this is really funny. I can get well known if I wanted to. Yeah I am the guy with the blue car with a bunch of **** in the trunk. You can't miss me. lol

Jason

[LAWNGODFATHER]

I would have to say nope.

I drove my Snapper Comet with a small trailer behind it to where ever in the area.

Then I got a Toro GM 117 and did the same.

Then bought a Wb and bought a trailer from K-Mart for $150 and pulled it with the 117.

Thean at age 16 got a '78 Datsun pickup.

And that's all she wrote, cause it took off from there since I could travel more than a mile or so.

Although I had my mom drive me and the trailer to a few places close to age 16 with the station wagon.

[thartz]

One good thing is you don't live in the rust belt. Hopefully you can pick up a good used truck that is in decent shape. I had a toyota truck for the first go round; it wasn't much but; it got the job done.

[thartz]

One question; Do you have any problems with johnny law because your equipment hangs so far out of your trunk?

[outrunjason]

Acutally NO. I was waiting to get pulled over one time becuase it was very early on a Sunday moring and I was going to mow and a cop was behind me. He probably thought I stole all that. But after about a mile or so he pulled off. I am getting a trailer by the way. This is not a good way to do business granted.

Jason

[thartz]

Try to go for the truck if at all possible. It could be a better investment in the long run. If you start to really take off you can buy one really good trailer rather than ending up out-growing a make do trailer and having a small trailer laying around the house collecting dust.Just a thought since the truck is more versitile.

[Downeast]

wow

[Greens Keeper]

Kind of looks like Tony Stewart this after noon @ Daytona:D

[HOMER]

No..................luckily I already had a truck. Bought a riding mower (Ariens) first before I had a way to haul it.............bought a trailer shortly there after.

Takes time but if this is what you want then start looking for a truck or get the cuttin' torch to that car and make ya one.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Did you start a franchise here in Michigan? If so I spotted you one day.

To answer your question. NO

[PaulJ]

How about a toro 21 and curved weedeater sticking out of the hatch of a Chevy Citation. The mower handles would fold down pretty easily if I took the time so I could close the hatch all the way if I wanted to but In good weather I usually just propped it open with a old shovel handle. I was working full time over nights at the time, those were the days--NOT.

[outrunjason]

I love it LOL. Believe it or not I thought that i was bad with what I was doing but I saw a guy with an old Station wagon with a lawnmower and stuff on it. When I see him again I am going to take a picture of it and put it on here. I don't know how he gets it up there.

Jason

[dlandscaping]

i walked my 21 mowers all over the neighborhood or drove the rider. Now i walk my walkbehinds for a few blocks or use my dad to take me and my trailer. I bought a truck but cant drive yet o well looks like more working with mom or dad haha. At least your not like the guy with the wagon being pulled by the bike!

[outrunjason]

OH my the trailer behind the bike. I made a trailer and put it behind my bike. I was heading down the road and the wheels on the trailer were old lawn mower wheels. Well the wheel came off and the trailer hit the ground and the side fell off. I wish I had a pic of it. I thought about doing that again as an advertising thing just locally. Like the man on the bike thing. Just to get some Media coverge to get some lawns. An idea anyway.

Jason

[General Grounds]

:blob3: HOLY %*#@!!!!!:blob3:

[plymouthvaliant73]

http://www.freakygamers.com/smilies/s2/otn/funny/jump2.gif

[outrunjason]

OH my god. I love these pics.

Jason

[Tvov]

I had a Ford Ranger when I started (God, I wish I had never sold that truck!).

But, a friend who was helping me the first year will never let me forget it. At one point, we were digging something and using the customer's tools, I turned to him and said:

"Imagine all the money I could make if I had a shovel!!"

[David Haggerty]

Originally posted by Tvov
I had a Ford Ranger when I started (God, I wish I had never sold that truck!).

But, a friend who was helping me the first year will never let me forget it. At one point, we were digging something and using the customer's tools, I turned to him and said:

"Imagine all the money I could make if I had a shovel!!"



Good story... Great line! I laughed right out loud.

I guess we equipment junkies had to start somewhere too! LOL

Dave

[outrunjason]

LOL that was a good one. I have been there. I remember when I like first started. I had a murray lawn mower. I would start it and push the lever down for self propelled. Then I would sit on the mower and let it take me down the street until I had toget off and straighten it back up before it hit the curb lol.

Jason

[danzig]

Nobody starts at the top. We all began our lawn service in various ways. After you get a little more business you will progress on to the next step. If the big shots laugh when they see you, pay no attention. Keep on working and remember those smiles while you prospect for more clients. When you get the truck(s) and the commercial mowers your competition will notice and remember you. Then when YOU drive by them, SMILE, just to let them know you are making money and doing well. I started out small with little equipment. All the good bids were taken and the big dogs wouldnt sub any work to me. After a couple of years i began to build my customer base. Then i started to pick and choose what i wanted. I have a union job and a select few accounts that i do. Now all the lawn care guys know who i am and say i am doing it right. I work 40 or more hours a week at my job then i go out and get my "gravy". Provide a QUALITY service and your clients will spread the word for you. Before you know it you will have a nice truck and plenty of equipment.

[Ray&Christine]

I started out with a 1978 AMC Concord Woody Wagon, I used it for about 2 weeks. Every time I put the lawnmower in the back I had to take the handle off. I went out and got a used F150, The Ford worked out much better!

Ray

[Lawn Dog2001]

I started out with a 1977 Ford F100 2wd pick up with a straight 6. Best truck I ever had. It had a wooden bed which was perfect for hauling.

[eggy]

I am crying! Thanks for the laughs guys...

[skyphoto]

I was fortunate.....Had saved enough from my other job to buy the trailer and mowers b4 I started mowing....Already owned a truck.....Just appreciate what ya have cause there are others with less! Those pics still make ya smile!

Peace!;)

[PAPS]

No.. never like that... nor have I ever seen anyone do that around here....:rolleyes:

[65hoss]

In 1981 or 1982 my dad and I started with a 1979 Ford LTD 2 door. We had a small trailer we pulled behind it. We did it that way until the late 80's. Upgraded to a 1973 chevy truck then.

Lookin back I wouldn't change a thing. Makes you appreciate where you are now.

[plow kid]

You forgot your "caution flag" http://members.aol.com/ncls484/smilies/neener.gif

[JimLewis]

Six years I started out very similar to that picture. First 2 weeks mowed lawns in my wife's 1989 Mazda 626. In the trunk was my $50 mower, a stick edger, and a broom. Garbage bags were used for grass clippings and these went in the two back seats. They were dumped in the dumpsters at my appartment late at night.

I soon graduated to an even better set-up. I equipped my 1980 Camaro RS (pic below) with a towing package. Then I purchased a trailer that used to be an old truck bed. It was yellow at one time but was now mostly rust. The wheels and tires looked like the originals, from the 50s or something. Plus, the trailer sat a good foot or two higher than the Camaro, so it tilted quite a bit to the front, as you can imagine. Oh, and did I mention the rear axle squeeked very loudly? Other landscapers would pull up at stop lights and point, howl, cackle, and bust a gut laughing. I didn't really care. I had a dream.

Finally, the next spring I sold the Camaro and bought a 1969 Dodge Pickup. The trailer got a new coat of Primer on it, so it didn't look quite as bad.

Then I have just been moving up a little each year.

Now we have all nice trucks, trailers, paint jobs, equipment, etc. But you gotta start somewhere. And that's all I could afford to start with. I hated my job so much anything was an improvement. Today, I am glad I went through that. It is humbling but it also helps me appreciate the nice things I've worked so hard for.

I am particularly greteful for my new truck. I am thankful every day that I went through all that crap so that I can now drive around in a nice new luxurious truck all day doing errands, giving estimates, overseeing workers, and other [more comfortable] stuff. God Bless America. :D

[thfireman]

There ia a man in our area that has an old smoking moped and he pulls a trailer with a push mower, weedeater and blower on it. He does a darn good job for the equipment he has but I cant imagine a homeowner saying " I have a lawn care company do my lawn". Hey at least the man is working and not begging!

RLC

[sheppard]

Man Oh Man!!!
Cordially,
Sheppard

[MOW ED]

No I didn't start that way but I did have a 85 Jeep Cherokee chief and an old homemade trailer 6x10.

The goofiest thing I did was put a tarp in the back of the truck and load about 60 bushels of thatch in it. There was still thatch in it when I traded it in.

By the way, you should see the guy on the bike pull the snowblower around in the winter.;)

[tpl]

I used to use my car every now and then. Made thousands of dollars that way. Cheap on gas and had equipment and supplies delivered. Luckily, I also had a truck that my partner would use.

[AGG Lawn Maintenance]

Greenquest LoL's. Hey Jason you could be hitch hiking to each job with an old reel type push mower.:D You'll be all right it takes time. I started off with an old 21" mower. Now 14 years latter we have 4-48" mowers a 60" rider, back packs, weed wackers, ground blowers etc.:D
Good luck
Travis

[paul]

plymouthvaliant73, glad that old picture of mine is still around.

[GLM]

I started one step up from your rig, I had a 21 inch honda ,echo string trimmer in the back of a 85' toyota 4-Runner. Oh don't forget one big landscape barrel, the fold down seat really comes in handy hauling large loads of leaves LOL!

[little green guy]

I started when i was about 11 with my best friend, a yard cart, and two rakes. we raked leaves in the fall only.

Then I decided to expand when i was about 12, I had my parents Murry, and electric weedeater and electric hedge trimmer. I think I also picked up another 21" that year and we where running two mowers on each yard, I was even thinking about productivity when I was 12 :)

When I was 13 my uncle let me use his 48" bobcat to cut all my lawns and I got some gass trimmers too, later that year I bought a 36" exmark from some guy in the nieborhood and my cousin also bought a 36 " exmark.

I always had friends older than me so i was always able to talk them into buying trucks and working for me, and I kept upgrading trailers, I think i talked like 4 of my friends into buying trucks and driving me around. I just keep buying more equpment too.

Finally I turned 16 and bought my own truck, Now I'm almost 18 and have a truck, 2 trailers, a new lazer, a couple newer walkbehinds, trimmers blowers and everything else I need. I' m also planning on buying a brand new second truck this summer, and who knows what else is to come. Oh yah the whole time i also worked for another landcspe co. and leaned a alot. I have just as a professional company all the other guys around, i'm insured, everybody that works for me wears co. shirts and our work show's it.

Anyway that's gotta be one of my longest posts, but hey I started from nothing and i'm working my way up. I've leaned one thing too, that is, I still have alot to learn. Ok now that's my life story ( atleast some of it) (I wonder if anyone is still reading this?) The end.

[nathanlee79]

Jason - I've seen a couple of people around here pulling 5x8' trailers w/gate behind their cars. Might make it easier on the back and will be great if you move up to your first walk-behind.